Dartmouth

1818

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In January, 1818, flags half-masted on Citadel Hill announced the London death of Princess Charlotte, who had died in childbirth the previous November. As a daughter of the Prince who later became George IV, it was confidently expected that this beloved lady would one day be Queen of England. The name is noted because Portland Street in Dartmouth, was for many years afterwards called Princess Charlotte Street in her honor.

That winter was again severe. Teams crossed back and forth over Bedford Basin for a much longer period than in the preceding year. In February, ice in the main harbor became clogged and so compact that teams and pedestrians passed over without danger for nearly two weeks.

1817

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

1817 witnessed the beginning of the first building in Dartmouth to be used exclusively for church purposes. Prominent Anglicans had already obtained a Crown grant of Block “G” where now stands Christ Church. The land was granted in trust to Thomas Boggs, Richard Tremain and James Creighton.

The Earl of Dalhousie, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, laid the corner-stone of the new edifice on Wednesday, July 9, of that year. Rev. Charles Ingles was the first rector. His wife was Hannah Hartshorne, daughter of Lawrence, senior. His mission extended from Bedford to Seaforth. Until later on, when it was formed into a separate parish, Christ Church was a chapel-of-ease to St. John’s Church at Preston.

1816

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

During the summer of 1816, the construction of the new team-boat, or horse-boat, continued in progress. The machinery necessary to revolve the propeller seems to have been imported from New York firms experienced in rigging similar such boats. The launching took place on Monday, September 30, and the place was somewhere in Dartmouth Cove. The only previous record of a ship being built in Dartmouth was that of the “Maid of the Mill”, launched in August 1801.

Among the gay crowd at high-tide that September day, there were evidently many brightly dressed ladies mingled with their companions along the shore, and others who came over from Halifax in small boating-parties. Perhaps a military band also enlivened the air.

One enthusiastic spectator has left us his impression of the scene in a letter to the “Acadian Recorder” the following week:

Sir,—I have been present at many Launches but never witnessed one, take it “all in all”, with so much pleasure as that on Monday last. Dartmouth Cove is in itself picturesque, the assemblage of beauty on the shore, the boats plying in the Cwe and the novelty of the team-boat, formed a scene worthy of the pencil of the first masters in painting; the public spirit and disinterestedness of the gentlemen who have so promptly come forward—the pen of the poet—that both may be found is the earnest wish of … K. I. „

The 25 shareholders of the Company included the enterprising Samuel Cunard. The President was Hon. H. H. Cogswell and the Secretary was Charles R. Fairbanks, a rising young barrister.

The first trip of the team-boat was made on the 8th of November. Dr. Akins’ History says that it was considered an immense improvement, and the additional accommodation for cattle, carriages and horses was a great boon to country people traveling to market at Halifax.

This is the 70-foot ferry “Sherbrooke” launched at Dartmouth in 1816. Inside the housing on the deck, a team of eight horses harnessed to iron stanchions traveled around a cogwheel which turned a crank. The crank then moved the single propeller located under the middle of the boat. As auxiliary power, sails were hoisted whenever the wind was favorable. This type of ferry was common at the time.

The road from Dartmouth to Bedford apparently was made available for vehicular traffic about 1816. Up to that time there existed only a trail or pathway over which cattle evidently were driven around the Basin to be sold in the market at Halifax by farmers from the eastern sections and Tufts’ Cove area.

This is inferred from a request signed by 33 rural residents presented to the House of Assembly that spring asking for financial assistance. The petition stated that the footpath, which had been brought into the shape of a road by small sums previously granted, was found to be very useful. In consequence they had subscribed irnong themselves the sum of £124 for the further progress of the road during the ensuing summer.

The Legislature responded favorably to the request, and agreed- to an appropriation of £130 for this work.

The winter of 1816-1817 was exceptionally cold. Teams crossed over Bedford Basin all winter and the Eastern Passage was closed in with ice until April. Much distress prevailed among the laboring classes. Inmates at the Halifax Poor House numbered nearly 200. Potatoes were scarce, and in some parts of the Province flour was not available at any price.

1815

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

The spring of 1815 was very backward. As late as the month of June, slob-ice kept coming down from the Basin. In addition to that, frequent southerly winds blew much drift ice back into the harbor which often impeded the progress of the ferry-boats. Towards the end of July, a hail-storm, attended by rain and thunder, showered down lumps of ice over two inches long, near Burnside.

In this year, much of James Creighton’s Dartmouth property was put up for sale at auction by the executors of the estate. The whole of what is now the Austenville section, comprising some 67 acres, was bought by Thomas Boggs for £348 6/3.

A larger block of 77 acres commenced near the foot of Sullivan’s Pond and included land on both sides of Prince Albert Road over Sinclair Street hills to Christian Bartlin’s line at the town limits. On the west, the boundary extended down through the middle of Lake Banook to Ochterloney Street. The highest bid for this vast area was £450, and the purchaser was Lawrence Hartshorne. As the new Preston Road of 1797 ran through all this property, it looked promising for investment returns.

In 1815 the Halifax Steamboat Company was organized. They obtained from the Legislature the exclusive privilege of operating ferry-steamers for a period of 25 years. The principal incorporators were Hon. Michael Wallace, Thomas Boggs, Lawrence Hartshorne and Charles Morris. Reduced fares were promised.

The Government that year voted a sum of £190 to complete surveys and plans for the Shubenacadie Canal. A previous sum of £250 had been appropriated for the same purpose in 1797.

Listed among the highway grants of 1815 was an amount of £70 “to assist the inhabitants of Dartmouth township to open a road from Mrs. Floyer’s to Shubenacadie river”.

This appears to be the first mention of communication being opened from Dartmouth to meet the road from Truro leading to Halifax. The latter, known as the “Cobequid Road”, turned westerly to cross Fletcher’s bridge where now stands Fletcher’s Locks. Then it continued for six miles over the hills to emerge at the junction of the present no. 1 highway and Old Cobequid Road, which is about 12 miles from Halifax.

1814

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

A packet-boat from England which arrived on Saturday, May 21, 1814, brought the most welcome news in 20 years to Governor Nicholas D’Anseville still in exile at Woodlawn. Napoleon had abdicated; and the Bourbon King Louis XVIII was being restored!

Mrs. Lawson, in her History of Dartmouth, says that the enthusiasm and excitement of the old Governor knew no bounds. Dressing himself in the old royalist uniform with the white hat of the Bourbons, he abandoned his customary dignity, and marched up and down the road during one whole afternoon, shouting “Vive La France”.

In the autumn of 1814, smallpox broke out in an alarming manner in the village of Dartmouth. Dr. Samuel Head, prominent Halifax auctioneer, recommended Seth Coleman as a man competent to render the inhabitants medical aid, because “He has long been in the habit of assisting people of Dartmouth, and has thereby acquiring considerable knowledge of diseases occurring among them”.

On orders from Lieut. Governor Sir John Sherbrooke, Mr. Coleman subsequently vaccinated over 400 poor persons in Dartmouth and Preston, with great success.

See also:

Seth Coleman

1813

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

On June 6, 1813, great animation prevailed when the Shannon brought in the captured Chesapeake. The picture in Grade IX school-books conveys an idea of what Dartmouthians rowed out to greet on that exciting Sunday. Captain Broke (Brook) of the Shannon was so badly wounded that the command of the ship devolved upon 2nd Lieut. Provo Wallis, 22-year old native of Halifax; and the same man after whom Port Wallis is misnamed. (Port Wallace is named for Hon. Michael Wallace, Canal President)

The restless and ever-changing harbor still churns up its foamy wrath at times, but never had the inhabitants seen the waters in such a freakish and tempestuous turmoil as was exhibited late in the autumn of the year 1813.

About five o’clock on Friday evening November 12, a terrific hurricane suddenly sprang up from the southeast, driving in an immense volume of sea-water. On that day there were about 100 ships in port. Although the tide was dead low at the time, within the short space of one hour, the height of water lifted almost every vessel from its anchorage and bore it madly along in a swirling tide.

The bulwark of Halifax wharves breasted the brunt of the surging ocean swell as it pounded small craft against the pilings until they were smashed and sunk. Larger vessels were torn violently from their moorings to be swung outward and pitched crazily into mid-stream where they wallowed and collided with other ships as everything movable kept sweeping up the harbor.

Along the stretch of lee-shore at Dartmouth some 30 or 40 vessels were washed up in all sorts of positions on the beaches where in many cases the hulls were damaged by hidden boulders. Broken bowsprits and stripped rigging bore evidence of more collisions. These ships must have been lifted ashore by the buoyant tidal-wave, and not by the wind.

The driving November rain, the inky darkness, the blue flares of rockets and the intermittent sounds of distress guns amid the piercing shrieks of drowning persons, made the night a memorable and awful one for the inhabitants.

As if in answer to a prayer, the freakish storm suddenly ceased about seven o’clock, when the wind veered to the northwest and the water became comparatively calm again.

Next morning, Haligonians looked across the harbor. They saw the extensive stretch of Dartmouth shore from Fort Clarence to Tufts’ Cove strewn with ships. Editor John Howe of the Halifax Journal must have sent a reporter to Dartmouth, because a few days later his newspaper published the following list:

  • The brig “Friendship” ashore near Fort Clarence, rudder and bowsprit gone.
  • Ship “Jubilee” ashore near Prescott’s limekiln.
  • A captured brig ashore near Prescott’s, bilged; foremast and bowsprit gone.
  • Brig “Astrea” ashore near McMain’s, much injured in her upper works.
  • An American prize sloop, ashore near McMain’s, rudder gone.
  • His Majesty’s schooner “Canso” (12 guns), bowsprit gone; ashore northward of McMain’s.
  • Schooner “Four Sisters” (204 tons), ashore near ‘ii«’ “Canso”, bowsprit gone, damaged in upper works.
  • Schooner Dove” ashore near the Lap-Stone, foremast and bowsprit gone.
  • Shooner “Rachel & Mary” ashore near the “Dove”, not much Injured.
  • A small Lunenburg schooner ashore near Ryan’s ferry-wharf.
  • Schooner “Mary” of Portland, ashore in Dartmouth, not much injured.
  • A small shallop ashore on Dartmouth, A schooner laden with sugar, sunk near above vessel.
  • Schooner “Ferdinand” ashore near Skerry’s house, much damage to her upper works.
  • Brig “William” ashore near Coleman’s, foremast and bowsprit gone, stern much injured.
  • Sloop with country produce struck shore near Coleman’s wharf, and soon went to pieces, the whole cargo lost.
  • Mr. Coleman’s boat-shop blown down. Schooner “Sally” of Nantucket, prize-ship to H.M.S. Loire, ashore near Coleman’s.
  • Sloop “Gleaner” brought up near Coleman’s wharf, lost her bowsprit.
  • H. M. brig “Manly”, ashore to the north of the “Sally”, much damaged, feared total loss.
  • The transport schooner “Three Sisters” sunk near the “Manly”, total loss. H.M. sliip “Maidstone” ashore to the north of this.
  • H.M.S. “La Hogue” ashore near Black Rock.
  • Schr “Concord” ashore nearby.
  • Schr “Paragon” ashore north of the “Concord”.
  • American ship “Massachusetts” prize to the “Canso”, ashore to the north of Black Rock.
  • A Portuguese brig and an American sloop near the “Massachusetts”, not much injured.
  • A neutral brig and a lumber-loaded schooner ashore to the northward of the above.
  • H.M.S. “San Domingo” ashore near Foster’s wharf.
  • Ship “Juno”, the re-captured brig “Ann” and a schooner ashore above Foster’s.
  • The transport ship no. 429 ashore near Foster’s Point.
  • The brig “Mariner” ashore near Pryor’s windmill.
  • Schr. “Edward” ashore north of above.
  • Spanish poleacre ship “Catherine Patriota” ashore near Albro’s tanyard.
  • Sloop “Elvira” ashore above Albro’s, overset— her owner Mr. Koch and two men lost.
  • Brig. “Christiana” ashore north of the “Elvira”.
  • Ships “Ned” and “Divina Pastore” ashore in Tufts’ Cove.
  • A Lunenburg sloop sunk near the above vessels, the crew of four said to have perished.
  • Men-of-War brigs “Fantome” (18 guns) and “Epervier” ashore north of Tufts’ Cove. (Five months later, “Epervier” was captured by the Americans. “Fantome” was wrecked in 1814 at Prospect).

The above lengthy list gives one an idea of the number of vessels usually anchored on our side of the harbor. Foster’s wharf was near the “watering-place” at the foot of Jamieson Street. The schooner “Three Sisters” may have been the one owned by Jonathan and John Tremain on which Edward Jordan committed murder and mutiny in 1809. Her wreck would be near the foot of North Street. (See “Jordan, the Pirate” by Dr. MacMechan).

George Westphal was in the news again that year. He was then in command of the “Anaconda”, and in the attack on New Orleans during 1813, had lost his right hand.

1812

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

Word came to Halifax that England and the United States had declared war. This aroused great activity around the Dockyard and Halifax wharves where privateers were continually being fitted out for expeditions that were sometimes disastrous, but often very profitable. As owners shared prize money with crew members, no doubt many Dartmouth young men often ventured on these voyages.

Preston and Woodlawn sections then began to add American officers to the number of prisoners already quartered there. Most of them were friendly and spent money freely, and thus became quite popular with the villagers.

In 1812, there died William Birch Brinley, the man who built Mount Edward. He was a nephew of Sir John Wentworth, and named the estate in honor of the Duke of Kent. His wife was Joanna, daughter of John Allen whose nearby tanyard spread over the location of the farm now owned by John Cross.

Their daughter Frances Brinley married William Lawson, a son of the first President of the Bank of Nova Scotia; and this family occupied Mount Edward, along with the mother, for many summers afterwards. The farm-land continued to be cultivated until about 40 years ago when the original house disappeared. But the foundation stones of the old dwelling and of the outbuildings are still visible. The view from that elevation is ideal.

See also:

War of 1812

1811

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In 1811 John Prescott, probably a brother of Samuel at the Woodside brickyard, purchased Maroon Hall. He called the place Mount Cleverley after the maiden name of his wife.

For the year 1811, Lawrence Hartshorne was Surveyor of Highways for Dartmouth town-plot; and Robert Day was Constable.

Marriages that year at St. Paul’s included that of John D. Hawthorne to Miss Mary Story daughter of Marshal Story.

And at Preston in July, Miss Elizabeth Chamberlain, daughter of Theophilus, to William N. Silver of Halifax.

In October occurred the deaths at Dartmouth of Mrs. Miriam Meagher in her 60th year, relict of the late Captain Meagher; and of William Mills aged 32.

1810

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

Friday, February 23, 1810, was appointed by the Lieut-Governor as a day of public fasting and humiliation in the Province.

In the following October, Samuel Hart died at Maroon Hall. Most of his local and Halifax property was then sold for debt.

A son born in 1810 in James Creighton’s home at former Fort Grenadier, Jacob St., Halifax, to James Crichton, R.N. and Mary Creighton, must have so pleased the latter’s father that he deeded 200 acres of Dartmouth land, in trust for this grandchild. Hence Crichton Avenue. Old Mr. Creighton died in 1813 in his 81st year. He had been associated with Dartmouth over 40 years.

Edward Foster and Sons were still doing business in 1810 as “millsmiths, housesmiths, anchorsmiths, axe, tool and screw makers ;it their extensive Dartmouth works at the Narrows and at their newly erected shop on Prescott’s wharf, Halifax; where old customers and new ones were invited to leave orders”.

1809

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In the Royal Gazette for July 1809, the livestock of Maroon lull was advertised to be sold at Mr. Bell’s Ferry House Old Ferry Inn, at one o’clock on Saturday the 29th. The lot included one pair of beef oxen, one pair small oxen, seven milk cows, one calf, six handsome horses and one bay stallion.

Theophilus Chamberlain advertised the loss on the Preston Road between Crane’s and Ross’ of a linen girdle two feet long and three inches wide, containing 50 guineas and two Joes. The owner was Monsieur Chaunion, a prisoner of war at Mr. Crane’s, who offered half the money as a reward to the finder.

Through the summer of 1809, newspapers continued to advertise runaway prisoners from Preston. In June, Joseph Bissett of “Coal” Harbor received £5 reward for apprehending a deserter from a ship in the harbor, and readily donated the money to the Halifax Charitable Institution.

Dartmouthians interested in the cultural and the lighter side of life probably betook themselves to the Theatre Royal at Halifax in August, where elocutionist Powell was advertised to deliver Gray’s Elegy, Satan’s Address to the Sun, and Hamlet’s Soliloquy; followed by the whimsical entertainment: “The Evening Brush” or “RUBBING off the Rust of Care”. To conclude with a critical and entertaining dissertation on NOSES.

Hartshorne & Boggs advertised a new supply of hardware, a large quantity of blankets and two hogsheads of men’s hats of different colors. They had likewise a few puncheons of rum.

Large real-estate deals during that decade included the purchase of almost the whole of town-block “R” by Thomas Donaldson whose fashionable Halifax confectionery was on Granville St. The northern boundary was at Portland St. Hence Donaldson’s Lane near 10 Commercial St., later called Glendenning’s Lane. Much more property, both in town and township was acquired by this family.

On the old Preston Road about that time lived Mrs. Jonathan Elliot, a widow with a large family. Her maiden name was Almy Green, a daughter of Thomas Green who came from Nantucket as a preacher to the Quakers. Almy’s mother was Mercy Cook. Almy’s father was a direct descendant of Roger Williams the founder of Rhode Island. Almy’s children were reared as Quakers. The Elliot family afterwards settled in Dartmouth.

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